cawdery



I 2- Sheets-Sheet 1 (No Mode1.) J. W. OAWDERY.

GRAVITY RAILWAY Patented Apr. 17, 1894.

JOHN WILLIAM OAWDERY, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

G RAVITY-RAI LWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 518,224, dated April1'7, 1894.

Application filed June 28, I893.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN WILLIAM Onw- DERY, a subject of the Queen ofGreat Britain and Ireland, residing at 4.5 Wells Street, Oxford Street,West, in the city of London, England, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Gravity or Switchback Railways, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in gravity or switchback railways,and has for its object to provide an arrangement which can be moreeasily erected than those com: monly employed, and which will notpresent the heavy and massive appearance of such structures, alsoproviding for vehicles of different constructions, in the form of ahorse for instance, to be used, the track being raised clear of theground and supported only at necessary intervals.

In carrying my invention into practice, I arrange atsuitable distancesalong the ground, a number of standards or fixed frames, preferably ofcast iron, and carrying at the top and on each side a T shaped rail.Upon these rails can run two wheels mounted on an axle fixed at each endto a movable frame suspended thereon at the top, the lower ends orextensions of which are guided by a bar or rod secured to, or formedintegrally with the standards or frames, and extending along the wholelength of the track. This iron frame is inclosed in a shell of suitablematerial, having the shape of a horse or other animal, the legs of whichsurround the extensions of the suspended frame, while the body inclosesthe top part of the said frame with the wheels, the rail track passingthrough the shell above mentioned. The track is laid in the ordinarymanner, so as to present alternate curved ascents and descents, thewhole track being inclined from one pavilion at one end to the other atthe other end, and there being two lines of rails as usual switched ormade continuous with one another at both ends. There are thus two rowsof cast iron frames which may be of graduated or of uniform height,according as the track or the ground is undulated. Suitable means areprovided at the pavilion ends for preventing the horse from moving backwhen reaching Serial No. 479,070. (No model.)

the end of its travels. Instead of the shell In the-accompanyingdrawings, wherein like letters of reference indicate correspondingparts, Figure 1 is a vertical section showing the fixed frame orstandard, the movable or suspended frame with its shell representing ahorse, and the rail track laid on the top of the fixed frame orstandard, Fig. 2 being a corresponding longitudinal section. Fig. 3 is asectional view of a shell representing a boat and its suspended frame.Figs. 4 and 5 are plan views showing two dilferent methods of connectingthe lines at their ends. Fig. 6 is a sectional view showing theapplication of my invention to a carriage. Fig. 7 is an elevation of apart of the track with a pavilion at one end. Fig. 8 is a detail.

According to my invention, I arrange a series of cast iron frames orstandards 8 along the ground, these frames having suitable heights inorder to allow the rail track to be laid thereon, with the necessaryundulations or to follow those of the ground. Fig. 1 shows one of thesestandards or frames carrying at the top the rails 0, having the form ofan inverted T,the cross and lowermost bars of the rails 0 being fixed inthe chairs 3', formed on each side of the top of the frame. Upon theserails can freely move the wheels w mounted on the axle a, secured ateach end to the inner walls of the suspended frame f, the latter beingthus suspended on the fixed frame or standard 3, while its lowerextensions or ends 6 are guided by a rail 1' fitted at each side of thestandards in the chairs or supports 4" cast on the same. Each extensionis bent to form a recess or pocket furnished with a friction roller e,which runs on the rail 0, thus effectually preventing any side motion.This frame f is fitted in the shell h cast or otherwise made in the formof a horse, and fixed thereto in any suitable manner, such as by.

may also be made to represent a boat, as shown in Fig. 3, the suspendedfrainef being inclosed in the hold of the boat, which is provided inthis case with a deck t' to carry the seats '5.

Fig.7 shows the general arrangement of the tracks T and T, a pavilionsuch as P being provided at each end, and the two tracks, T and T, beingconnected at one or both ends, either by the switch shown in Fig.4 or bythe connection of Fig. 5, in which case the horse or other figure willrun round on to the return line.

In Fig. 7 the standards are shown of different heights, and are placedon a horizontal ground, so as to obtain the necessary undulations, butin some cases I may form the undulations in the ground, when thestandards will have a uniform height.

To prevent the horse, boat, &c., from moving back, on reaching theplatform at each end, and in each pavilion, I arrange a rack 12 on thecentral portion a Fig. 1 of the top of the last two or three standards5, wherein engages a pawl m, fixed under the shell or horses belly (inthe case first mentioned), and so arranged as to pass freely over therack, as the vehicle proceeds toward the end of the track, but to engagewith the teeth of the said rack tending chairs, substantially asdescribed.

2. In combination, the standards, having the upper and side rails, thecarriage comprising an inner frame f having downward extensions on eachside of the standards, said extensions having bent lower ends to formpockets or recesses, the rollers journaled therein to bear on the siderails and the outer shell h, secured to the inner frame, substantiallyas described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand, at London,this 9th dayof June, 1893.

JOHN \VILLIAM CAYVDERY.

In presence of- ALBERT EDWARD ELLEN, JAMES MILLER.

